Mobile gaming has been a growth leader in the gaming sector for the last few years, and it is showing no signs of slowing down. You can typically tell when something is here to stay when hardware manufacturers turn their attention to creating devices specifically for that purpose alongside other growing markets like fitness apps that counts calories, regularly educates users on food plans and answers important questions such as what does a plant diet consist of?
Data.ai has reported that, on average, people spend around 5 hours per day on their mobile phones, and some of those hours are in gaming. By 2025, Statista has estimated that the mobile gaming market will be worth $130.8 billion.
When it comes to mobile gamers, it isn’t the gamer profile you might typically think of that is driving the success. When we think gamers, we think PC or console gamers, who spend hours playing their favorite titles.
But it is the hyper-casual mobile gamer that is pushing mobile gaming to the dizzy heights it is currently experiencing. There are a couple of reasons that mobile gaming is making a huge impact:
- Pick-up and put-down, you can stop most mobile games immediately.
- Easier to play with a basic interface.
- Haptic or vibration feedback
- Almost infinite gameplay
- Free to download or low cost.
- Multiple ways to pay, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and even phone bill pay; here is what you need to know about the latter: what is pay by phone bill?
Not to mention that now there are many devices hitting the market that are designed to play mobile games to the absolute best. Here are some of the most highly rated gaming mobile phones.
Nubia Red Magic 7
When it comes to gaming, your budget can make a significant impact on what you can and can’t play. The Nubia Red Magic 7 keeps that in mind, and so it offers a huge amount of value.
What this device does so well is that it stands out from the others in terms of looks, making it something that you are likely to fall in love with quickly.
What is a Snapdragon 8 gen processor? Well this device is the same chip that you will find in higher-end mobile gaming devices. The Nubia Red Magic 7 also has shoulder triggers, active cooling, a possible 16GB of RAM, and a 165Hz AMOLED display.
This model is one of the most affordable gaming-focused mobile devices and comes in at around half the price of the high-end ones. Keep in mind that since it is a game-focused design, it isn’t great for photos, and the updates aren’t likely to go to the camera software.
Black Shark 5 Pro
A dedicated gaming mobile device that really shows off when it comes to components. It comes highly recommended across all reviews because it really is that good. And even though it was released a short while ago, it holds steady in terms of popularity.
Even considering it is a game-focused device, it has a camera that rivals some of the non-gaming devices, so it has more everyday use too. The shoulder buttons are highly regarded because they are magnetic triggers that offer a quick ‘pop’ action as feedback. Gaming is incredibly tactile with the Black Shark 5 Pro.
The Black Shark 5 Pro runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU with a nice 6.7 Inch OLED, up to 16GB RAM, and 265GB storage. The charging system, decent battery life, nice camera, and premium chipset put the Black Shark 5 Pro into one of the best mobile gaming devices around.
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
The Asus ROG series has been making huge waves in the mobile gaming community – and the 7 Ultimate offers even more. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 means the CPU is ahead of the previous options, and the screen is a touch wider, too, at 6.8 inches and AMOLED.
But the reason that the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is so highly recommended? It has huge battery life. The ROG 6 Pro offered stunning battery life, but the 7 Ultimate has 18.5 hours (tested) at a lower refresh rate and a still huge 13.5 hours when locked in at a refresh rate of 165hz.
This is one of the only gaming devices that goes toe-to-toe with devices like the OnePlus 11 and the Galaxy S23. While the camera might not match the quality of a multipurpose phone, its gaming is almost unrivaled.
What about a multipurpose phone for gaming?
What is a multi-purpose device? For those who like other apps and the camera just as much as gaming, there are two great options that trend for both regular use and gaming. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has an incredible A16 chip, 120Hz refresh rate, and enough power to run any game you want to play. Alternatively, the Galaxy S23 is not a game-centric phone but offers Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 13 hours battery at 60Hz and 12GB RAM, and up to 1TB storage.
